Dan Gould

Congrats. And they chose the Mayan apocalypse day - how delightfully optimistic of them!

Majorly-talented guy, a definite favorite. I'm bummed. RIP Jimmy.

I don't believe there's a refund but I do believe that if they stay above it for 2014 the tax rate takes a very large jump. They'll be over it this year, I am almost certain, but they are trying to work down to being under it for 2014 because the rate is like 50% based on the new CBA.

I gotta listen to those first two singles ... I always thought of them as of a piece with the Vee Jay sides but maybe I didn't pay enough attention to his piano and was just concentrating on the vocals. Very good, MG and someday ... we're gonna find that other Peri Lee recording! Other? I've only got the one I got from you, Dan. Which of the two others have you got that I haven't? MG From your comment about the earliest, L.A. recordings, I assumed you had them as you describe them "in Milt Buckner/Lionel Hampton mode." I have a cassette transfer of his Hollywood 45, in rather muddy multi-generation sound - wouldn't call them in a Buckner/Hampton mode myself but as I said, I should listen again.

I gotta listen to those first two singles ... I always thought of them as of a piece with the Vee Jay sides but maybe I didn't pay enough attention to his piano and was just concentrating on the vocals. Very good, MG and someday ... we're gonna find that other Peri Lee recording!

Very much looking forward to the rest of this, MG.

You're right David and I apologize. Its unfortunate that political questions get pulled into this - I ignored two prior comments before finally responding to Jim's comment. This is really brought home to me while listening to the President, who can't figure out when is the time for a campaign speech and when is the time to be president of everyone.

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How do I go about trademarking it?

You don't know shit from shinola. The Red Sox 'fever' broke last August with the big trade. They now sit something like 40 million dollars below the luxury tax threshold! Paying a little over market on SHORT-TERM contracts is nothing like what the Angels and Dodgers have and continue to do. None of the contracts the Red Sox have signed this off-season will hinder them in any way going forward. The team may suck but they were probably going to suck anyway.

:tup :tup :tup

The article makes it clear that he believed she was his daughter and treated her as such (well kind of) ... with no 'official' kids, is there anyone alive for a DNA test to absolutely confirm?

I'd love to see the Sox do three years/80 million. The risks are reduced enough that I'd say 'yes'. Of course, the Phillies have a lot more money committed to various and sundry players ... and at that price wouldn't the Yankees swoop in anyway?

Well its pretty clear I am talking about Youk ... but if Napoli is out they'll toss some extra money to Swisher. And then Yankee fans can boo him while Sox fans boo Youkilis.

I'm trying to wrap my head around the idea of Kevin Youkilis being clean-shaven and in pinstripes. I don't know how fans will react - and I wish I could witness the first conversation with Joba the Asshole - but this feels different from Damon. The Red Sox made their offer and he left for more money from the Death Star. He deserved the boos. Youk though was traded because it was Will Middlebrooks' time and he didn't choose the Yankees over the Red Sox. One thing is for sure - there will be no way to tell if Fenway is full of "Yooooouuuukkk" or "booooo"s when he shows up in pinstripes. I think we should agree now that if you don't hate him for being a Yankee, you need to cheer him, not serenade him with his nickname. Bottom line really is that I can no longer hope he has a bounce-back season in him. May his bat continue to slow and his body continue to break down.

Johnny Otis

I already know its going to be a good Christmas - top of my list is an accoustic amp for my new (in September) guitar, and a couple of songbooks/instructional DVDs. I'll be playing "Night Moves" just like Seger, and rattling the windows too, by New Year's Day.

Just what is the CBA minimum payroll right now? I think the minimum individual player salary = $485K.(?) That means a minimum ML team salary is $12,125,000. What's really wild is that their team payroll at this moment (i.e. - deals that are actually signed) is only $850,000.00. They'll be signing more players, obviously, but right now they've only got one player actually on the payroll, Phillip Humber. http://www.spotrac.c...houston-astros/ Other than that, nobody's signed for 2013. Nobody! That's what happens when you are fielding a AAAA team: everybody is under team control and will be signed in January and February. Do they even have anyone on their roster that is arbitration eligible? I imagine there are a few but the majority will probably just be renewed at the major-league minimum.

I don't know what your link was to ... but here's another source: http://hardballtalk....t-can-add-more/ Furthermore, 36 million over 6 years adds ... presumably six million to their 2013 payroll. And, posting fees are not calculated for luxury tax purposes. I don't really care about the logic of these salaries, I only know that the team has the revenue to support them. I think its the teams like the Astros and Marlins, who can put an absolute piece of shit product on the field and laugh all the way to the bank where they count all the millions they've made from TV rights and revenue sharing. Reality is that we might as well start getting used to even more ludicrous baseball contracts. The game is awash in money and that money is going to chase the biggest free agents. Unless you're an owner who only wants to bank the money yourself. Not sure why you can't see it but here it is again. Who knows how much it adds to next year's salary. It could be front loaded as well.http://www.mikescios...gicillness.com/Taking out the posting fee it's $237.86. With the luxary tax and without knowing exactly what is being added it's now $279.48. Still trying with your link. But more to the point: Above you claimed their payroll is $340 million. Now you're down to $280. How's that? And how the hell do you come up with one six year/36 million dollar contract raising the 2013 payroll by almost 42 million dollars??? That's some seriously fucked up math.

I don't know what your link was to ... but here's another source: http://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/2012/12/08/dodgers-at-around-233-million-for-2013-but-can-add-more/ Furthermore, 36 million over 6 years adds ... presumably six million to their 2013 payroll. And, posting fees are not calculated for luxury tax purposes. I don't really care about the logic of these salaries, I only know that the team has the revenue to support them. I think its the teams like the Astros and Marlins, who can put an absolute piece of shit product on the field and laugh all the way to the bank where they count all the millions they've made from TV rights and revenue sharing. Reality is that we might as well start getting used to even more ludicrous baseball contracts. The game is awash in money and that money is going to chase the biggest free agents. Unless you're an owner who only wants to bank the money yourself.

Its $240 million, with the luxury tax, from what I understand. And they'll have plenty of money to pay Kershaw - their new cable deal pays $250 million a year! Their cable money makes payroll, which is far and away the biggest budget item, and they haven't accounted for the money made from 3 million fans per year, or the humungous amount of money that the league will be getting, and distributing to the owners, from national tv rights sales.

Well I feel a little silly, now that I've consulted AMG and learned that Milton Campbell was co-founder of Bobbin. But after finding some way expensive 45s at least I discovered that Collectables issued all of his Bobbin recordings and now both volumes are on their way, for under $16 total.

Little Milton, Raise a Little Sand (Red Lightnin) Its a seventies issue of his Sun and Bobbin recordings ... I already had the Sun stuff but had no idea he'd recorded for Bobbin' before moving on to Chess. And this stuff is freakin' awesome. Leaves me wondering whether is all of his Bobbin recordings or if there are any more out there.

1. WTF? And I mean that literally. It goes by so quick I don't know what the hell they're selling. But since it must be a jazzer , yeah, I'm buying. 2. Really, really dug this a lot. The voice is instantly captivating, insinuating. Hell I even dug the soprano solo and when the hell do you hear me say that? 3. What I liked about track 2 is entirely absent on this. Where track two instantly grabbed me, by the time this one ends I wish she'd just take the damn party somewhere else. Bitch. OK, so I peeked. 4. No guesses but I liked this a lot. Perfect length too. Too much of a good thing is sometimes ... too much. 5. "Look good - feel good"? I know the derivation of the Fernando's Hideaway bit on SNL but I'm going to guess Billy Crystal. Can you dig it, Face? I knew that you could. 6. Nat Cole. Do I actually get credit even though Jim told us ahead of time? Color me curious as to why this particular track is worthy of a BFT. 7. OK in the hierarchy of the (so far) trio of 70s-inflected female vocal tracks, this one raises the bitch's track up a notch. Don't like the production/fidelity either. NEXT. 8. Never got the bug to go deep into the Latin Jazz thing (I've got one Eddie Palmieri disc, and that only because of the presence of Brian Lynch. But this ... well this doesn't make me rethink that choice not to go down the Latin Jazz road, but I'm not switching this off either. Me likey mucho. 9. Well ... yeah, but I still prefer the Ray "auditions" spot for Pepsi. 10. Wow, actual, no-doubt-about-it instrumental JAZZ on a BFT. Whodathunk it? Big tenor in the 78 era. Ike Quebec pops into my head but not gruff enough. 11. This is a WTF track, and not in a good way. Couldn't keep with it after the chorus came in. 12. No guesses but I'd be this girl's lazy bones any day of the week. 13. Comparing science to music? Has to be Kenton, right? Never found him remotely enjoyable. 14. Really enjoyed this tenor but no guesses. Thanks a lot Jim, it wasn't nearly as painful as I feared and I'm looking forward to the answers.

its the only reason I care again.